The Division of Psychotherapy is pleased to offer an exciting convention program this year in San Diego!  We want to thank everyone for their fine submissions and let you know that we very much appreciate the time and effort that goes into these. Unfortunately, because of limitations of program hours (based on the number of members in our Division who attend the APA Convention), we are unable to accept all the quality submissions that we would like. Our blind raters work very hard at rating each program and there are many submissions that we hope to see again next year. This year’s program will be exciting and inspiring for both our younger and later career members. Many of the leaders in the field will present their latest thinking, research, and clinical strategies for us to take back to our offices and institutions. We were also able to participate in planning the plenary sessions that APA sponsors, which will be very relevant to psychotherapy.

We are conducting suite programming this year and hope that you will all drop by when you have a few minutes or more to share your experience, to network, and to share some nourishment. We are very excited this year to offer “Brunch with Barnett,” a suite program on psychotherapists’ self-care and life balance on Saturday morning with Dr. Jeff Barnett.  Please check back to our website for greater details and information on registering. We will keep you posted about further suite programming as we go.

Please carefully review our program and highlight those sessions that you want to attend. Don’t forget to encourage early career psychologists and students to attend our “Lunch with the Masters” where there will be copious food and a very popular book raffle. This year, our masters include Drs. Jeffrey Magnavita Judith Beck, Louise Silverstein, Florence Kaslow, and others.

We think there is an abundance of riches here and (unfortunately!) deciding what to attend will be a challenge.

See you all in San Diego!

2010 Division 29 Convention Program

Gains for Psychology in Health Care Reform

Due in large measure to the combined advocacy efforts of APA and APAPO government relations staff and our members, numerous legislative provisions favorable to psychology were included in the final health care reform legislation. These offer new and expanded opportunities for psychologists in our various roles as practitioners, educators, and researchers.

What follows are several highlights related to our APA priorities for health care reform. I would also like to direct your attention to a more comprehensive listing of legislative provisions of interest to psychology and to an APAPO article for a discussion of the significance of this legislation for psychologist practitioners.

1. Integrated Health Care

• Inclusion of psychologists on community-based interdisciplinary, interprofessional health teams to support primary care practices as part of a new grant program
• Participation of psychologists as part of health teams or designated providers of health home services to provide health care to eligible individuals with chronic conditions (including mental disorders) through a new Medicaid state option

2. Mental and Behavioral Health Care

• Inclusion of mental health and substance use disorder services, along with behavioral health treatment, at parity with medical/surgical services in essential benefit packages
• Extension of the 5% Medicare psychotherapy payment restoration from January 1 through December 31, 2010, which will increase access to mental health services

3. Prevention and Wellness

• Elimination of cost sharing for eligible preventive health services and expansion of prevention and wellness initiatives to address depression, postpartum conditions, and elder abuse
• Directive for the Clinical Preventive Services Task Force to consider best practices presented by scientific societies, such as APA, in developing recommendations

4. Psychology Workforce Development

• Designation of a separate $10 million set-aside for doctoral, postdoctoral, and internship-level training through accredited programs and internships in professional psychology
• Establishment of a loan-repayment program for psychologists in pediatric care and expansion of eligibility to psychologists, psychology programs, and psychology students for geriatric education and training programs

5. Elimination of Health Disparities

• Data collection and quality measure development to further the elimination of health disparities
• Development of a national strategy to improve the delivery of health care services and patient health outcomes

6. Support for Psychological Research

Creation of an infrastructure to support comparative effectiveness research (which received a $1.1 billion infusion of funds through the economic stimulus package last year) to enhance treatment decisions

7. Involvement With Consumers, Families, and Caregivers

Promotion of long-term care services and supports for adults with functional limitations and family caregivers

Hundreds of Psychologists Have Their Voices Heard on Capitol Hill

On March 9, the voices of psychologists from across the country who participated in the APAPO State Leadership Conference (SLC) echoed in the halls of Congress. The psychologists conducted over 300 meetings with members of Congress and their staffs to request extending through 2011 the 5% outpatient mental health reimbursement, adding psychologists to the Medicare “physician” definition, and making psychologists eligible for reimbursement for “psychotherapy with evaluation and measurement” codes. Psychologists also discussed their support of health care reform that integrates psychological services into primary care, preventive services, and benefit packages.

This year’s SLC was entitled “The Power of Advocacy” and featured sessions on such critical topics as the new mental health and substance use parity law and its ongoing implementation. Special programs honored two of our mental health champions in Congress—Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)—and offered a memorial tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a staunch mental health advocate, who died last year.

Approval of Medicare Access Provisions of Vital Importance to Psychology

The day after the SLC congressional visits, the Senate passed highly favorable legislation that would retroactively extend the 5% Medicare psychotherapy payment restoration through the end of 2010. The legislation would also prevent the 21.2% Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cut from going into effect through September 30. These vital provisions were included in the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213). Six Republicans joined with 56 Democrats to pass the bill in a bipartisan 62-36 vote.

The newly enacted health care reform law mirrors the recent Senate action by extending the 5% Medicare psychotherapy payment restoration from January 1 through December 31, 2010. This will restore about $30 million to Medicare mental health reimbursements. APAPO continues to push for passage of Medicare legislation that extends the restoration through the end of 2011 and further delays the SGR cut from taking effect, ideally by changing its flawed formula.

The Reality of Health Care Reform

The enactment of health care reform legislation is a momentous achievement that has been likened to the adoption of the Social Security Act in 1935 and Medicare legislation in 1965. Over the past 15 months, APA and APAPO government relations staff have effectively advocated for our health care reform priorities with Congress and the White House. Yet, much of the credit for psychology’s legislative gains is due to you, our members, for your calls, e-mails, and visits to members of Congress. Thank you on behalf of APA, APAPO, and the field of psychology for your valiant efforts. We now look forward to working with you to get the word out that psychology also has much to contribute to the effective implementation of health care reform through the regulatory process at the federal and state levels.

As always, your thoughts on our health care reform activities are welcome. While I am unable to respond individually to each message, your views are carefully considered. I also encourage you to visit our APA health care reform website for more information about our health care reform priorities and initiatives.

By. Norman B. Anderson, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

Linda Campbell

The APA Council In Action!  By Linda Campbell and Norine Johnson.

We are quite used to stalemates, filibusters, and partisanship these days, aren’t we? I wish you could all have attended this Council meeting to see actual decision-making, compromise, and respectful disagreement. There were items on this Council agenda that truly spoke to who we are, what our values are, and what is important to us. You would have been very proud to see how differing members conducted themselves and how the decisions were made.  We are going to plunge into the top items of importance to Div. 29 here and hope that if you want more detail or want to discuss any of these subjects that you will contact us at lcampbel@uga.edu or NorineJ@aol.com.

Recognition of Psychotherapy Effectiveness

Before your blood pressure goes up, yes, all of us who are members of Div. 29 know and have known for many years that psychotherapy is effective. What we recently realized, however, is that never has there been a resolution, declaration, or any official statement adopted by APA to acknowledge this fact. Melba Vasquez, Nadine Kaslow, and Linda Campbell authored a new business item to be presented in August for a vote of Council acknowledging this important fact. Linda Campbell or Nadine Kaslow can send you a copy of the statement if you would like to read it. Several of our Div. 29 members contributed to the supporting seminal references and citations. It’s a great read!

Amendment to The APA Ethics Code

For the first time ever, the APA Ethics Code has been amending between official revisions. You are aware of the concerns that many APA members have had regarding the potential use of the Standards 1.02 and 1.03 and the ambiguity of the meaning of the standards in serving as guidance for psychologists. A primary concern about the potential interpretation of the standards as they stood was the possibility that following the law could be used to coerce psychologists into inhuman treatment of others. The APA Ethics Committee drafted the proposed change that is meant to better define this uncertainty. The draft change went through without a hitch. The revised standards are written as follows. The underlining represents added text and the strike through represents deleted text:

Standard 1.02 Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority

If psychologists’ ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologist clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. If the conflict is unresolvable via such means, psychologists may adhere to the requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing legal authority. Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defined violating human rights.

Standard 1.03 Conflicts Between Ethics and Organizational Demands

If the demands of an organization with which psychologist are affiliated or for whom they are working are in conflict with this Ethics Code, psychologists clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code, and to the extent feasible, resolve the conflict in a way that permits adherences to the Ethics Code. Take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethics Standards of the Ethics Code. Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights.

These amendments represent hard work by many people and very difficult and challenging conversations. Those whose efforts were greatly invested in this matter rose to the occasion most admirably and respectfully.

The APA Model Licensure Act Has Been Approved!

The primary purpose of the Model Licensing Act is to provide a model to state, provincial, and territorial legislatures of language that would be consistent with APA’s policies in the event that legislatures enact a change in their law or regulations that affect the practice of psychology. Several areas were reviewed and updated; however, the major discussion centered around the use of the term “psychologist” in school settings and licensure requirements for I/O psychologists. The challenge for consensus came from the policy of APA enacted several years ago and the stance of professional psychology in that psychology is a doctoral level profession. Although, some state and provincial licensing boards have variations in masters level practices, the policy of APA is that psychology remains a doctoral level profession.

For many years, prior to licensure in some states, State Departments of Education have authorized and certified individuals who have masters and educational specialist degrees to practice in the schools and be termed “school psychologists.” Individuals who work in public school settings in these roles are typically not doctoral level. The question at hand was whether or not to extend the exemption that school psychologists have had for some years. In other words, could school psychologists be an exception to the requirement for doctoral level status of those calling themselves psychologists?

In hearing out all sides and all opinions on this very difficult matter, the Council voted to adopt the following: “The act recognizes the authority of appropriate state education bodies to issue titles to those who provide psychological services in schools as long as those titles incorporate the word “school.” The act continues to restrict the practice of such individuals and their use of their title to employment within school settings.” In other words, the adopted wording recognizes Departments of Education to be able to authorize professional positions under their aegis. The second amendment to the Model Act exempted I/O psychologists from the requirement of licensure (except as required in their jurisdictions) unless they provide mental health services to individuals.

Council Moves Out Of The Manchester

Contracts for APA Convention sites are made several years ahead of the event. After contracting with the Manchester Hyatt, it was discovered that the owner, Doug Manchester is a major contributor to the California Proposition 8, an effort to overturn the California Supreme Court ruling providing marriage equity for same-sex couples. This development resulted in much deliberation between values and money. On the one hand, many members felt that they could not in good conscience attend the Council meeting if held in the Manchester. The other meetings and where members’ hotel reservations are would, of course, be individual or divisional decisions. The Council meeting location represents a decision by APA that is logistical, financial, symbolic, and value-driven. The Treasurer, Paul Craig determined that a move would cost no more than $100,000. President Goodheart established a context for Council members’ remarks that was respectful, inclusive, and encouraging of all to speak. After the discourse, Council voted overwhelmingly to move the August Council meeting to another location. Dr. Goodheart summarized the discussion by saying, “Members of our Council will now not be faced with having to choose between their responsibilities as members of Council and their wish to express their opposition to Mr. Manchester’s action by not entering his hotel.”

Consensus and Endorsement of the APA Core Values

Our APA CEO Norm Anderson has initiated the development of our first ever Strategic Plan. Along with the plan was needed a mission statement, vision statement, and set of core values. As we have reported from earlier Council meetings, all had been decided except the core values. The task force charged with developing the core values for acceptance by Council was chaired most ably by Rodney Lowman and one of our representatives, Linda Campbell, was a member of this group. Over a period of months, the task force worked on finalizing the values with the sticking points being around (1) how to word the diversity value and (2) how to word the science value. Even on the floor of Council during the discussion, editing and compromise were still going on. Almost miraculously, we now have a set of core values overwhelmingly supported by Council and they are:

The American Psychological Association commits to its vision through a mission based upon the following values:

Continual Pursuit of Excellence

Knowledge and its Application Based Upon Methods of Science

Outstanding Service to its Members and to Society

Social Justices, Diversity and Inclusion

Ethical Action in All that We Do

Approval of APA 2010 Budget

Good news, sort of. As you know, APA like the rest of us was hard hit by the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009. Many cuts were made in meetings, personnel, and services, and benefits in order to right the ship. The cash flow from the buildings, however, yielded $3.5 million which contributed greatly. As a result, APA can report a forecast of $114,400. with expenditures of $113,500 resulting in a forecasted operating margin of $900.000.

Transparency In Advertising

APA has become aware that students and potential students who are reading APA materials see paid advertisements which sometimes appear to be endorsed by APA and therefore can be misleading for students who are looking for graduate programs and other educational services. As a result, the Council voted soundly to develop criteria and transparency for educational advertising:

1. Advertising of educational programs in APA publications and  web sites must be programs that are fully accredited by regional or other institutional accrediting associations recognized by the Department of Education.
2. Programs representing areas of professional psychology that are eligible for APA Accreditation (e.g., clinical, counseling, school, I/O, combined) must be accredited by APA to quality as advertisers.

To our loyal and faithful members, if you made it this far in the report, you not only get the t-shirt but a sweatshirt to boot!. It is our pleasure to serve as your Council representatives and we would very  much like to talk with you individually about your thoughts regarding Council and our Division 29.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Campbell, Ph.D.

lcampbel@uga.edu
phone: 678-234-1444

Norine Johnson, Ph.D.

NorineJ@aol.com
phone: 617-471-2268

Melba Vasquez

The provision of psychotherapy is the basis of my work.  Providing psychotherapy is an activity that is profound in its meaning and effectiveness as a change process.  The evolving evidence base helps us to more fully understand the factors that contribute to therapeutic effectiveness.  We must ensure that these services are fully included and funded in the evolving health care reform systems.

Leadership

As a member of the Board of Directors, I have advocated consistently for the Practice Directorate, and the APA Practice Organization.  I currently Chair the Task Force to revise the Model Licensing Act, whose charge is to bring the MLA in line with other APA policies including proposing increase in licensure mobility, and ensuring that the doctorate is the level of credential required for the title “psychologist” and the independent practice of psychology.

I served as Chair of the Board of Professional Affairs, and as member of the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. I also served on the Ethics Committee, as member of the Examination Committee for the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and helped to develop the oral exam for licensure in Texas.

Education and Training

I completed a psychotherapy videotape series as part of the APA DVD Videotape project, focusing on multicultural psychotherapy.  These series are available for training students about psychotherapy skills.

I previously worked at two university counseling centers as senior psychologist and as internship training director (Colorado State University and University of Texas at Austin).  I’ve taught various doctoral courses in supervision and training of psychotherapy. I helped to plan and coordinate the Supply and Demand Conference and the Competencies Conference, both of which yielded important directions for the training of  psychotherapy.

Scholarship

I have authored/coauthored over 30 books, journal articles and chapters in the areas of ethics in psychotherapy, multicultural competency, and psychotherapy with women and with men. I am currently completing a volume, Multicultural Theory as part of the APA Theories of Psychotherapy Series.  I have served on the editorial boards of practice journals such as Professional Psychology:  Research and Practice, The Counseling Psychologist, and Ethics and Behavior.

Advocacy

I have participated in activities with the Association for the Advancement of Psychology such as raising funds for legislators and in making visits to Congress.  Those efforts have included extending the restoration of Medicare outpatient mental health reimbursement cuts, and ensuring that health care reform integrates psychological services. While serving as president of the Texas Psychological Association, I helped ensure that our practice laws remained intact during the 12-year sunset review.  I have received an Advocacy Award from the Association for the Advancement of Psychology (2008), and the APA Karl F. Heiser Presidential Award for Advocacy (2007).

I would very much appreciate the #1 vote from members of the Division.  Please visit my website www.melbavasquezforapapresident.com.

Melba J T Vasquez, PhD ABPP

Independent Practice
Anderson House at Heritage Square
2901 Bee Cave Road, Box N
Austin, Texas 78746
melvasquez@aol.com

Presented by Mathilda B. Canter on 8-15-08 as part of the Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Division of Psychotherapy, APA Convention, Boston, Massachusetts (pictures and slide show, followed by text of speech).

Readers may also be interested in the 1993 publication on the History of Division 29, also by Mathilda Canter.

Division 29 40th Anniversary Celebration: Exciting Times for 29

Preparing for this talk has been a delightful trip down memory lane for me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to tell you what I hope you will find a very interesting story.

Once upon a time, actually, at the APA Convention in 1960, a group of psychologists got together and formed an organization called Psychologists Interested in the Advancement of Psychology (PIAP), because they felt that there was no place in APA representing their interests.  They were a dedicated, energetic, enthusiastic group, who presented programs, gave workshops, and started to establish a journal, which they entitled Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice.

In 1963, PIAP was invited, by unanimous vote of its Board, to become a Section of the Division of Clinical Psychology – Division 12.  The invitation was accepted, and all PIAP members – about 600 of them by then – joined the Section, and for the first time in the history of the American Psychological Association, psychotherapy was officially recognized!  Their dues were $5 at the time.   In 1964, the first issue of Psychotherapy was published, with Eugene Gendlin as Editor.  The Editorial Board was quite impressive, including such respected psychotherapists as Rollo May, Erik Dreikurs, Sid Jourard, Hans Strupp, Clark Moustakus, James Bugenthal, Charlotte Buhler, Art Kovacs, etc… !

But as time went on, the Section leaders were not happy with Division 12, since they had difficulty having their programs accepted, were denied assistance in conducting elections, and in general felt that they were not receiving the support they had been led to expect.   After much discussion, in 1966, they drew up a petition to form a Division.  Among the   signers were Ron Fox, David Orlinsky, Ted Blau, Hans Strupp, Aaron Canter, Carl Zimet, Walter Klopfer, Al Ellis, Erika Fromm, Jules Barron, Stanley Graham, and Jack Wiggins…Familiar names?

The petition was submitted, and on September 4, 1967, the APA Council of Representatives established Division 29, the Division of Psychotherapy!!  And there was joy in Mudville, for finally practitioners had a home of their own in APA!!!  Our first President (1967-68) was Fred Spaner, who was followed by Ted Blau and then Vin Rosenthal.  Ron Fox served as our first Treasurer – a three year term, with Al Ellis and Max Siegel among the Board members.

As President Jules Barron wrote in the Psychotherapy Bulletin, in 1973: “Since our inception as a Division,…we have been a significant force in the psychological revolution.  While fighting for the legitimacy of professional psychology we have tried to maintain our scientific heritage.”  And we still do so!

It is impossible for me to tell a 40 year history in the 25 minutes allotted to me.  So I shall just say here that the Division has been very active in all of its major areas of interest: practice, teaching, training psychotherapists,    and research!  And I’d like to point out some highlights, many of which you probably are not even aware:

In addition to being the first home in APA for practitioners, 29 was

• First division to hold a Midwinter Meeting! – more about that later.
• First division to have a Central Office…..This was located first in the New York area, with Gloria Gottsegen in charge, but she had to resign when she left for Australia.  We moved to New Jersey, where Jack Krasner, and then Ben Fabrikant, with the help of Rhoda Schneider, took over.  How many of you remember that Kinderkamack Rd. address?  In 1986, the office moved to Phoenix and hired The Administrators (Pauline Wampler).  And since 1999 Tracey Martin has been taking great care of us!
• Division 29 was the first division to have a Hospitality Suite at Convention and hold conversation hours and programs there (in 1971, participants included George Albee, Albert Ellis, Hans Strupp, Al Mahrer…just to give you an idea of the caliber of presenters……not shabby!).
• First division to offer Student Travel Awards for paper submissions – (1971): Among the recipients I noted Vicky Mays, Lynn Rehm, and our President- elect, Nadine Kaslow!!!
• First division to have a Student Development Committee – more about that later.
• First division to establish an Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee!  Our first Chair was Maxine Rawlins, followed by E Rita Dudley (Grant), and then Lisa Porche-Burke.  Rita told me, when we met last month at a Policy and Planning Board retreat, that the 1985 Journal special issue: Psychotherapy with Ethnic Minorities, edited by Maxine and Rita, represented the first time any journal published an issue on ethnic minorities.
• We were one of the first, if not the first, to have a Committee for Women, established in 1974, with Joy Kenworthy as chair.  Actually, the Old Boys’ Board had turned down a request in 1971 by then-Secretary Leah Gold Fein, to form the committee, saying we didn’t need one.  But it only took us a few years to raise their consciousnesses and say yes in 1974.  With Rachel Hare-Mustin, Hannah Lerman, Annette Brodsky, Jacquie Resnick, Gloria Gottsegen, Aphrodite Clamar, and myself.. we were a very active and effective group, over the years, to the point where  in 1991 then Chair, Carol Goodheart, requested that the committee be sunsetted – it was – and that a Gender Issues Committee be established – it was, too!

The division was a leader in bringing practitioners into APA Governance!  In fact, Ted Blau was the first practitioner elected to serve as president of APA in 1977. Ted told me that many people said that Abraham Maslow was really the first practitioner/president, but that he AND MASLOW thought that that was ridiculous!!  After Ted came Max Siegel, Nick Cummings, Stanley Graham, Jack Wiggins, Ron Fox, etc., etc.

The division was also a leader in involvement over the years in practitioner issues like insurance (Jack Wiggins), professional schools, practice guidelines, education and training, coalition building among practice divisions, giving financial support to a broad spectrum of professional activities….

I have only 25 minutes, so I had to make some choices, and I am going to use the rest of my time telling you about a few Division 29 initiatives that I think were very special and that many of you may not know about:

MIDWINTER MEETINGS: Ron Fox told me that the new Division could not afford Board meetings in the sunny South, where they wanted to meet.  So what they did was hold workshops, and since they were a well-known and highly respected group of psychotherapists, they took in enough money to pay for their Board meetings! In 1970, President Vin Rosenthal had the idea that they really should invite the Division membership to join in, and so the first official Midwinter Meeting of the Division of Psychotherapy was held in Tampa, Florida in 1970.   It was publicized as “29 in the Sun,” and in fact it WAS – it was 29 degrees, breaking a 101 year record!! (During the 1978 Midwinter meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, chaired by Ron Fox, with me as Local Arrangements chair, we experienced a 100 year flood….but Division 29 people are usually very kind, and I remember so many comforting me by saying “You don’t have to shovel rain….”!!)

In 1981, Division 42, the Division of Independent Practice was established, and in 1982 we invited them to attend our Midwinter meeting in Monterey, California.  It was a very successful meeting, and there was such a great overlap in the membership of the two divisions, that we decided to share sponsorship, and the 1983 Midwinter Meeting at the Greenbrier in West Virginia was the first official joint meeting of 29 and 42.  In 1984 we met in San Diego, with Division 39 overlapping their meeting with ours.  And in 1987, at the request of Gloria Gottsegen, Division 43 was added as a limited sponsor.  If imitation is the highest form of flattery, we certainly were flattered, and as more and more Midwinter Meetings were held by other groups, the competition for attendance grew, agendas changed, and ultimately our regular Midwinter meetings came to an end.

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE In 1986, President Suzanne Sobel established this committee, with Ellin Bloch as chair, to recruit and focus on the special needs and interests of students.  At that time, our Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee was chaired by Lisa Porche-Burke.   That year, more than 275 student affiliate members were recruited, 49 of them ethnic minorities (in 1985, there had been only six.)  In1988, we created a Student Paper Competition, with the winners receiving a monetary award and the opportunity to present at the APA Convention. By then, we had 406 student affiliates, 100 of them ethnic minorities! Ellin Bloch and two very active student committee members, Scott Mesh and David Pilon, were invited by the then-Office of Educational Affairs to come to APA to discuss student recruitment, and Scott and David were invited to address the Division Leadership Conference.  Division 29 funded their work with APA.  And in August 1988, APAGS, the APA Graduate Students was formed….  and has become such an important part of APA and our pipeline!  I think we did well…..

DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM

In 1990, in response to the Persian Gulf Crisis, and under the leadership  of  President Norman Abeles, the Division sponsored a project run by Ellin Bloch  and Jon Perez of the LIFE PLUS FOUNDATION, which was providing psychological support and educational materials, at no cost to the families of those in the military.  Congress and the Department of Defense showed much interest in this program.  In August of 1990, Ellen McGrath, our President-elect, was invited to Fort Bragg to run a support group for the wives of servicemen.  On her return, she requested the establishment of a TASKFORCE ON TRAUMA RESPONSE AND RESEARCH; this was done, with Ellin Bloch and Jon Perez as co-chairs.  They developed a network of volunteer psychologists to help those affected by DESERT SHIELD and assess the outcomes of the interventions.

With PROJECT ME of Tucson, Arizona, the Division published materials disseminated through FAMILY LIFE UNITS of the Department of Defense.  And the Division funded a pilot study by Ellen McGrath and Harry Wexler examining data from military wives regarding attitudes and stress reduction.  Then, in 1991, Desert Shield became DESERT STORM, and significant contributions were made by Division 29 to the government and the public.

The Task Force was divided into three sections:

1. COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS (co-chaired by Ellin Bloch and Jon Perez):   They mobilized support groups at community levels for families separated by the conflict; they served as consultants to local groups; and they acted as media spokespersons   As a measure of their impact, let me tell you that at the time of the L A RIOTS, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the LA Director of the Department of Mental Health both called them in to help!!
2. EDUCATION SECTION (co-chaired by Alice Rubenstein and Dennis Embry):  They had been working on a book for principals and counselors in schools with lots of kids coping with military separations.  Division 29 provided $5,000 to fund this effort, and the material was sent to the Department of Defense and ALL military base schools in the United States and Europe – with a research questionnaire!
3. GENERAL APPLICATIONS IN TRAUMA (co-chaired by Harry Wexler and Wade Silverman): Their commitment was to research, their focus on how psychologists need to respond to natural and man-made disasters!

The division worked with the APA Practice Directorate to coordinate and develop educational material which was given to all members of the U. S. Congress, for distribution to their districts!  The Practice Directorate “forgot” to list the division as a co-sponsor, but we knew what we had done!

Charlie Spielberger gave Presidential Citations to Ellin Bloch and Ellen McGrath for their superb work in response to the Gulf Crisis.  And Jack Wiggins told me that it was as a result of working with Ellin Bloch, Ellen McGrath, and Jon Perez that he created the Disaster Response Network, as APA’S Centennial gift to the nation in 1992!

Through the years, the division has been active, at first as the sole voice for practice in the APA divisions.  In 1972, it instructed its Council Representatives to vote against giving Masters level psychologists full membership in APA.  The division was an organizer of coalitions to deal with the many areas of common concern.  Its Education and Training Committee, (when chaired by Tommy Stigall) became part of the Joint Commission on Professional Education in Psychology.  It was a leader in fighting for the establishment of Fellow criteria that were appropriate for practitioners.

The Division was a co-plaintiff with CAPPS (Committee for the Advancement of Psychological Professions and Sciences) in the Blues suit, supported the suit against the American Psychoanalytic Association, the fight for hospital privileges, etc.  We supported the establishment of the California School of Professional Psychology, The Wright State University School of Professional Psychology….etc., etc.

We have a proud history of publications from our very beginnings, monitored by a distinguished series of Publication Boards, an excellent journal, and a fine Bulletin.  Early in our history, we had Al Mahrer’s edited series of Creative Contributions to Psychology; an Early Audiotape Series,  brochures, position papers,  the History of Psychotherapy, which Don Freedheim edited for the Centennial, a Videotape Series on Psychotherapy , etc., etc.  We even had Fran Pepitone-Rockwell who was charged with deleting sexist language in our journal….!

It was fun looking at the Early Career Award winners!  The first winners, in 1986, were Annette Brodsky and Gerry Koocher!  Others were Jacquie Resnick, Gary VandenBos, Ron Levant, Raymond DiGiuseppe, E. Rita Dudley Grant, Alice Rubenstein, Lisa Porche-Burke, John Norcross, Abe Wolf, and Nadine Kaslow…. Now it’s the APF/Division 29 Early Career Award….we were pretty good at recognizing talent!

My time is up, so let me close by saying:  29 is STILL different from other divisions -it is in the forefront of helping to connect practice and research…..Jules Barron said it in 1973 – and in 2008  his words still hold true.

So this is the end of my Once Upon a Time story….and May the Division Live Happily – and Productively – Ever After……!!

Thank you.

Ronald Rozensky

Ronald. H. Rozensky, Ph.D., ABPP

Professor and Associate Dean for International Programs

College of Public Health and Health Professions

Department of Clinical and Health Psychology

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida 32618

I am honored to have been endorsed by Division 29 for President of the American Psychological Association.  I have been a strong advocate for psychology and psychotherapy and greatly appreciate this opportunity to provide information regarding my efforts on behalf of psychology, to briefly acquaint you with my professional activities, leadership experiences, and vision for our future.

My work on healthcare reform over the past year is a case study in my advocacy for psychology.  I have been involved directly in the actual writing of healthcare reform recommendations in my role as Chair-Elect, and now Chair, of the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary Community Based Linkages (Services) within HRSA’s Bureau of Health Professions. The Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, makes yearly recommendations to the Secretary and Congress; it is part of my responsibility to advocate so that psychology is seen as an integral part of the healthcare system and deserving of funding for education, training, and services.  We must take every opportunity to assure that assessment and psychotherapy are mentioned within the healthcare reform discussion and I have had the opportunity to do just that.

My committee participated in writing a letter to Congress regarding the role of all health professions, including psychologists, as key to a quality focused, integrated healthcare system.  I have portrayed psychology as a strong, essential member of the healthcare team, an independent profession providing patient care to the fullest extent of our license and scope of practice with psychotherapeutic services as a major component of quality, cost effective healthcare.

I am a Fellow of our Division and am board certified in Clinical Psychology [ABPP] reflecting having sought peer review of both my assessment and psychotherapy competencies.  I teach the Advanced Psychotherapy graduate seminar at the University of Florida and maintain a large outpatient psychotherapy practice in our hospital-based clinic that includes graduate student and intern level trainees.  Our students awarded me both their Classroom Teacher of the Year, and twice, the Supervisor of the Year awards.  The supervisory award states, “For dedication to and excellence in supervision.”  For me there is no better testimony to my commitment to advancing psychotherapy in education, training and practice than that expressed by my own students. I have published five books and numerous chapters and journal articles, the majority focused on the application of psychotherapeutic principles to the treatment of medically ill patients across the lifespan.

My leadership experiences include APA Council and Board of Directors, President of the Illinois Psychological Association, chairing both the Boards of Professional and Educational Affairs, current Chair-Elect of  CRSPPP, and chair of two APA presidential initiatives each highlighting psychological treatment in healthcare.

As APA President I will continue to advance the science and practice of psychotherapy.  I have the experience and skills to advocate for inclusion of our psychotherapeutic services in the details of healthcare reform. That will be a key role for the next president of our association.  I would appreciate your #1 vote.  www.RozenskyforAPAPresident.com

Melba Vasquez

Melba J T Vasquez, PhD ABPP

Independent Practice
Anderson House at Heritage Square
2901 Bee Cave Road, Box N
Austin, Texas 78746
melvasquez@aol.com

I appreciate the endorsement from Division 29 for APA President. I have had a strong commitment to advance psychotherapy throughout my career and will continue this endeavor.

The provision of psychotherapy is the basis of my work.  Providing psychotherapy is an activity that is profound in its meaning and effectiveness as a change process.  The evolving evidence base helps us to more fully understand the factors that contribute to therapeutic effectiveness.  We must ensure that these services are fully included and funded in the evolving health care reform systems.

Leadership

As a member of the Board of Directors, I have advocated consistently for the Practice Directorate, and the APA Practice Organization.  I currently Chair the Task Force to revise the Model Licensing Act, whose charge is to bring the MLA in line with other APA policies including proposing increase in licensure mobility, and ensuring that the doctorate is the level of credential required for the title “psychologist” and the independent practice of psychology.

I served as Chair of the Board of Professional Affairs, and as member of the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. I also served on the Ethics Committee, as member of the Examination Committee for the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and helped to develop the oral exam for licensure in Texas.

Education and Training

I completed a psychotherapy videotape series as part of the APA DVD Videotape project, focusing on multicultural psychotherapy.  These series are available for training students about psychotherapy skills.

I previously worked at two university counseling centers as senior psychologist and as internship training director (Colorado State University and University of Texas at Austin).  I’ve taught various doctoral courses in supervision and training of psychotherapy. I helped to plan and coordinate the Supply and Demand Conference and the Competencies Conference, both of which yielded important directions for the training of  psychotherapy.

Scholarship

I have authored/coauthored over 30 books, journal articles and chapters in the areas of ethics in psychotherapy, multicultural competency, and psychotherapy with women and with men. I am currently completing a volume, Multicultural Theory as part of the APA Theories of Psychotherapy Series.  I have served on the editorial boards of practice journals such as Professional Psychology:  Research and Practice, The Counseling Psychologist, and Ethics and Behavior.

Advocacy

I have participated in activities with the Association for the Advancement of Psychology such as raising funds for legislators and in making visits to Congress.  Those efforts have included extending the restoration of Medicare outpatient mental health reimbursement cuts, and ensuring that health care reform integrates psychological services. While serving as president of the Texas Psychological Association, I helped ensure that our practice laws remained intact during the 12-year sunset review.  I have received an Advocacy Award from the Association for the Advancement of Psychology (2008), and the APA Karl F. Heiser Presidential Award for Advocacy (2007).

I would very much appreciate the #1 vote from members of the Division.  Please visit my website www.melbavasquezforapapresident.com.